03 February 2007

Don't panic!

Somebody has woken up the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, forcing them to put out a press release on a Saturday:
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus has caused the deaths of turkeys at a poultry farm in Suffolk, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed today.
Another 160,000 turkeys on the farm will be slaughtered while a three kilometre protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been set up.
An Executive spokesman said:
"DEFRA have confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu on an enclosed poultry farm near Lowestoft. The Scottish Executive is monitoring the situation in England but there are no direct implications for Scotland at this stage.
"Poultry keepers are reminded of the importance of vigilance for signs of disease and maintaining good biosecurity.
"As a precautionary measure bird gatherings in Scotland are to be cancelled for the time being.
"It is important to remember that bid [sic] flu is principally a disease of birds. This H5N1 strain cannot easily be contracted by humans.

I confess that I am not entirely sure how the Executive is going to prevent bird gatherings - as far as I am aware, pigeons and seagulls do not usually read press releases. But I am not surprised to read that bird flu is principally a disease of birds (or possibly of bids).

SEERAD will now go back to sleep for the next five years.

No comments: